


Holdfast

by voidpilsner



Category: Prison Break
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-25 21:16:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18269483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voidpilsner/pseuds/voidpilsner
Summary: Lincoln wished things could have been different back then, Michael only cares about the here and now.





	Holdfast

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't set anywhere specific to the series, but they aren't in prison. Hope you enjoy!

"There wasn't anything you could have done." Michael spoke, his words carefully chosen. His slumped form was sitting on the edge of his mattress, still in shock from the nightmare that had woken them both.

Anger thrummed and boiled in every part of Lincoln's body. He ran his hands through his short hair and within the next moment, punched the wall beside him. His knuckles went right through the drywall and Michael physically flinched at the loud noise and the irate grunt that accompanied it. "There's _everything_ I could have done!" He snapped, "I should have tried harder to be there, I should have—"

"Stop." Michael replied softly, his voice anything but steady.

Lincoln turned back to his brother, his internal fire slowly fizzling away when he caught sight of a single tear rolling down his brother's cheek. "But, I—" He began again, voice softer now, "I let you down, I failed you and—"

"And nothing," Michael stood, crossing the room and weakly shoving his brother's chest. "I'm okay."

"You were abused! In the foster system! When I was supposed to be looking out for you! And I'm just supposed to not give a shit?" Lincoln asked worriedly, raising his arms in disbelief.

"Listen you wanted to know what the nightmares were about. I told you." Michael sighed, bracing his head in his hands. "Can we just leave it at that?"

A frown slipped onto Lincoln's lips, "You're crying."

Michael quickly reeled his vulnerability in and, after taking a quick breath, proceeded with an unreadable expression,  "I'm fine."

"Michael." Lincoln whispered stepping up to him.

Michael flinched when Lincoln put a tentative hand on his shoulder, then flinched again when Lincoln sat next to him and wrapped an arm around his upper back. Lincoln could feel the moment that Michael started relaxing into the small embrace, when he finally started breathing normally again for the first time.

Lincoln took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

Michael responded by pulling away and shaking his head. "I'm fine."

Lincoln paused, "You don't have to pretend."

"Well apparently I do. Since apparently when I open up, you just get mad and punch walls." Michael huffed, shaking his head tangibly.

"I didn't mean to get mad." Lincoln whispered, getting up to grab the blankets that had been kicked to the floor. "I just—I don't really know what came over me."

"I don't really want to talk about it." Michael replied after a few tension-filled moments fell away. "Not tonight."

"Lay down." The older brother said with a swift nod, a comforting warmness filling out the edges of his eyes.

Michael did as he was told and audibly shivered when Lincoln covered him with the sheets. Lincoln sat on the edge of the bed again, the spot still warm from where he'd just been. He wasn't sure what came over him as he leaned over to press a kiss to Michael's forehead, but he was glad he hadn't questioned it. The slight semblance of relief in Michael's eyes was enough to make the gesture feel right.

Lincoln's voice was steady and grounding as he spoke. "You're safe now, Mike."

"I don't know that I'll ever be safe again." Michael returned in a muted tone.

Lincoln shrugged, turning off the dim lamp on the bedside table, leaving only the cool moonlight to cascade over the room. The older brother stood and got into the empty side of the bed, pulling the empty covers over his bare shoulders. "You'll be safe tonight." He murmured, leaning over the undiscussed middle line to press another kiss to Michael, this time on his temple.

Michael turned his body and urged himself toward Lincoln, instantly burying his face under the blankets and against the toned chest. As he welcomed the feeling of warmth to his cold soul, by proxy of the burning tingle of their skin to skin contact, he let out a sigh. 

Lincoln's strong arms wrapped around the younger and held him tightly in the only spot that Michael could ever feel well and truly safe. "You okay?" Lincoln asked gently.

"No." Michael mumbled, his voice muffled by the blankets and they way his face was pressed into his brother's sternum.

Lincoln smiled softly and pulled back the blankets enough to see the top of Michael's head, lit only by the limited amount of natural light that streamed through the small window above the bed. "What can I do to make it okay?"

"Just don't leave me." Michael uttered out with a shaky breath. "Just don't go."

"I won't." Lincoln left the promise there, leaving it wrapped up nice and in a bow, ready for Michael to take with him.

"I mean ever." The words were warm against Lincoln's chest, the breaths soft and still a little uneven.

"I'm with you to the end." Lincoln replied, hoping it came across like he meant it. Hoping that Michael didn't pick up on the fear that the end could be sooner than later, hoping that they could be together for a long while. In peace, settled, not on the run any longer.

"And, Linc?" Michael mumbled tiredly, like the world was out to get him.

"Yeah." 

"I know protective big brother is your thing, and that's great, but can we leave the past in the past?"

"Whatever you need." Lincoln nodded, stroking a hand across the short hair on Michael's head. The action caused the younger's eyes to flutter shut and his body to shiver slightly. 

"I just need you." Michael relayed heavily, as if to emphasize the fact.

Lincoln traced along Michael's spine with deft fingers as he hummed in agreement. "I love you."

Michael craned his head up a little, tucking it under Lincoln's chin and kissing his bare collarbone. "I love you too." He mumbled after he'd comfortably positioned himself more permanently against Lincoln. His tired eyes shut themselves tightly and his battered body let itself be rejuvenated by his brother's comforting hold. 

Eventually they both fell asleep with entangled limbs and hands gripping the other as if they were ships drifting apart at sea. Lincoln, even in his sleep, felt like a real life materialization of safety and Michael didn't wake up again until the daylight flooded into the room.


End file.
